Kay Goldsworthy

The Right Revd Kay Goldsworthy is a bishop within the Anglican Diocese of Perth, Western Australia. In April 2008 she was chosen to become an assistant bishop in the diocese by the Archbishop of Perth, Roger Herft. cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/04/11/1207856836839.html|title=From epiphany to bishop|work=The Age|author=Ben Doherty|date=April 12, 2008] She became the first woman to be consecrated as a bishop in the Anglican Church of Australia at St George's Cathedral, Perth on 22 May 2008. cite web |url= http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/blessing-of-history-as-first-woman-bishop-consecrated/2008/05/22/1211183001218.html|title= Blessing of history, as first woman bishop consecrated |accessdate=2008-05-22 |last=Morris |first=Linda |coauthors= |date=2008-05-23 |work= |publisher= The Sydney Morning Herald] [cite news|url=http://www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/trinity/news/2008/20080411|title=Trinity woman is Australia’s first female bishop|work=Trinity College, Melbourne|date=11 April 2008]

Biography

Goldsworthy was born and raised in Melbourne where she trained in theology as a resident at Trinity College from 1980 to 1983. In 1986 she was ordained as one of Australia's first female deacons and served as curate at parishes in Thomastown/Epping and Deer Park/St. Albans before moving to Western Australia to become school chaplain at Perth College in Mount Lawley.cite web|url=http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=67620|title=Australia’s first woman bishop reignites row among Anglicans|work=The West Australian|date=13th April 2008] In 1992 she was ordained as one of group of Australia's first female priests by the former archbishop, Peter Carnley.cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23522719-2761,00.html|title=Bishop Kay Goldsworthy - up close and personal|author=Gail Williams|date=April 11, 2008] The other women ordained in that group were Elizabeth Couche, Jenny Hall, Judith Peterkin, Robin Tandy, Joyce Polson, Cathy Pinner, Tess Milne, Pam Halbert and Betty Arney. [cite web|url=http://www.pioneerwomen.com.au/shepherds.htm|title=Australia's First Women Priests|work=National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame|accessdate=2008-04-17] She served as rector of St David's parish, Applecross from 1995.

Personal life

Bishop Goldsworthy is married and has twin teenage sons.

Women Anglican bishops

Women Anglican bishops have served in a number of countries - the United States, Canada and New Zealand - since 1989.cite web|url=http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=6657|title=Female bishop sets Church on wider path|work=eurekastreet.com|author=Charles Sherlock|date=April 16, 2008]

In September 2007, the Australian church's appellate tribunal ruled that there was no constitutional impediment to women being made bishops, but agreed to defer any appointments until this year. Importantly, the report of the appellate tribunal considered the following:

"Question 1: Is there anything in the Constitution which would now prevent the consecration of a woman in priest's orders as a bishop in this Church in a diocese which by ordinance has adopted the Law of the Church of England Clarification Canon 1992?"
"Answer: As regards diocesan bishops: No, provided that the woman has been duly elected as the diocesan bishop and has had her election duly confirmed in accordance with the criteria for canonical fitness set out in s74(1) of the Constitution." [cite web|url=http://www.anglican.org.au/docs/ATWomenBishop270907.pdf|title=Report of the Appellate Tribunal : Reference on Women Bishops; 26 SEP 2007|work=anglican.org.au|accessdate=2008-04-17]

A subsequent bishops' conference, at Newcastle, New South Wales in early April 2008, cleared the way for the first consecration.

Goldsworthy's appointment has been opposed on conscientious grounds from some sections of the church, particularly in the Diocese of Sydney led by Archbishop Peter Jensen. [cite web|url=http://your.sydneyanglicans.net/sydneystories/sydney_firm_on_women_bishops/|title=Sydney firm on women bishops|work=sydneyanglicans.net|date=25 November 2007|author=Jeremy Halcrow] The Sydney diocese has indicated that if Bishop Goldsworthy visited in an official capacity she would be unable to perform any duties as a bishop and could only act as a deacon Fact|date=May 2008. David Mulready, bishop of the Diocese of North West Australia, said "I come from a part of the Anglican Church that takes the Bible seriously and believes that the Bible prohibits what is about to happen ... I think it's novel, I think it's provocative, I think it's divisive and the archbishop knows all of that."

Goldsworthy has denied comparison between the struggle for recognition of women and that of homosexuals in the Anglican Church, and has declined to share her personal views on homosexual recognition. [cite web | title = New bishop at odds with boss over gays | url = http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23747780-5005961,00.html | work = news.com.au | publisher = AAP | date = 2008-05-23 | accessdate = 2008-05-23 ]

ee also

*Ordination of women in the Anglican Communion

References

External links

* [http://www.anglican.org.au/docs/HerftGoldsworthy110408.pdf Official announcement of Goldsworthy's appointment as a bishop]